Cuticle remover



Patented May 10, 1938 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CU'I'ICLE REMOVER Application May 11, 1937, Serial No. 141,944 I In Germany May 11, 1936 6 Claims.

This invention relates to manicuring instruments and more particularly to an instrument for removing cuticle from around the fingernails of the human hand.

The invention contemplates the provision of an instrument of substantially the size and shape of a fountain pen which is adapted to store a quantity of liquid for treating the cuticle, said liquid being adapted to be fed to the cuticle tool or stick positioned at the end of said instrument.

The contemplated features of the invention reside in the provision of improved means for feeding the liquid preparation contained in the instrument to the tip of the cuticle stick; in the structural features of the valving means; and in the manner in which the parts of the instrument are arranged to afford easy and positive manipulation thereof.

The above generally stated features and many others which will become apparent as this specification progresses, are incorporated in the several embodiments of the invention as illustrated, in their present contemplated forms, in the accompanying drawings on which the following description is based.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cuticle removing instrument in one of the forms herein contemplated.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, broken away, of the instrument viewed at right angles to the showing of Fig. 1, the valving means being in a closed position.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the valving means in open position.

Fig. 4 is a part elevational, part sectional View of another form of cuticle removing instrument.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View, partly broken, of the instrument shown in Fig. 4 and viewed at right angles thereto.

Figs. 6, '7, and 8 are cross-sectional views taken respectively on the lines 6-6, 1-1, and B--8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a partly broken longitudinal sectional View of a device embodying the invention in still another form.

Ingreater detail, and with particular reference to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the barrel or housing II] is provided with a removable cap II and a separable end portion I2. As shown, said end portion is provided with a flexible container or sac I3 for a liquid preparation I4 which is adapted to be fedto the hollow cuticle .tool or stick I5 rotatably mounted in the bore I6 of said end portion. The sac I3 is preferably made of rubber or rubber composition.

The cuticle stick I5 is preferably formed at its end IT in the manner of an orange stick and is adapted to be used to press against and treat the cuticle around the fingernails.

A channel I8 is formed in said stick for the passage of liquid from the flexible sac I3, said liquid passing through a hollow tube I9 fixedly held by the pin 20 within an extension of the bore I6 to a valving arrangement 2| positioned between the hollow I9a in the tube I9 and the channel I8.

The valving means 2| includes a cut or notch 22 formed in the stick I5, a recess 23 in the end portion I2 adapted to register with said notch and in communication at 24 with the mentioned hollow I So of the tube I9. In order to reduce the amount of liquid adapted to be held in the hollow I9a, the cuticle stick I5 is formed with an extension I5a, smaller in diameter than the stick so that a thin annular chamber is provided for the liquid between said extension and the walls of the tube I9.

Thus it can be seen that when the notch 22 is in register with the recess 23, as shown in Fig. 3, liquid may pass from the sac I3, to the chamber I9a to the recess 23 through channel 24, notch 22, and thence through the passage I8 to the tip of the cuticle stick. When said notch and recess are out of register, as shown in Fig. 2, the liquid is trapped in said recess and hence may not pass to the tip of the stick I5.

In order to limit the rotational positions of the stick, the extension I511. is preferably provided with a pin such as 25 engaged in a slot 26 in the sleeve I9. When the pin 25 is positioned against one end of said slot, registration between the notch 22 and recess 23, is had; when positioned against the other end of said slot, the mentioned notch and recess are out of register. For the guidance of the user, visual indicating means on the end portion I2 and adjacent parts of the stick, may be used.

Liquid may be fed in predetermined quantities to the tip I I by compressing the sac I3 as by 1 While the instrument above described represents a considerable improvement over prior structures, a further advantage and development may be obtained in the provision of means hereinafter described to displace the necessity of grasping the stick in order to rotate it for the diiferent valving positions. The form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, is designed to bring about this advantage.

In this form of the invention, the tool or stick l5 is arranged to be rotated by means of a ring or band 35 mounted on the housing or barrel It, the ring 35 carrying studs 36 passing through slots 31 in the barrel, and being connected to upright arms 38 which are connected near their tops as by a circular portion 39 and at their bottom ends by a ring Ail having a substantially rectangular-shaped opening 4!.

The mentioned rectangular opening is adapted to receive a rectangular extension 42 above the flanged portion 43 of the stick E5. The ring is adapted to seat against said flanged portion and to be held thereagainst by means such as the nut 44.

In order to maintain the flanged portion 43 against the seat 45 in the end portion 52, said end portion is fitted with a plug 46 fixedly held as by the pin ll, said plug being seated on the nut i i. Thus, the stick i is held against endwise movement while being adapted to be rotated by manipulation of the band 35 guided by the slots 3'! as shown in Fig. 6. The ends of these slots determine the rotational position of the stick 15 in the manner described for the form shown in Fig. 1.

Liquid from the sac l3 may pass through a central bore 48 in the plug it, to a similar bore 38 in the upper end of the stick l5, into a small passage 58 opening at the bottom of the flanged portion 53 of the stick. In one rotational position of the stick, the seat 45 seals liquid from passing to the stick passage l8. In the other position, the passage 18 is in communication with the recess 23 so that liquid may pass therethrough to the notch 22 which is in communication with said passage it.

The button 27 which is used to compress the sac to feed liquid is arranged to pass through a slot 5| in the band 35, so that rotation of said band may not affect the position of said button.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 9, in addition to the valving means previously described, the instrument is provided with a ball valve 55 positioned between the liquid containing sac i3 and the mentioned previously described valving means. In this manner there is provided an auxiliary chamber 56 from which fluid is valved to the stick tip 1?.

In this structure, the band or ring 35 is arranged to lineally reciprocate within the limits of space 31 to operate the ball valve and also to rotate to operate the valving means 2 l. The arms 38 are arranged at their bottom ends to support the ball 55 against its seat under the urgency of the spring means 5']. Guide means 58 for the arms 38 are provided to permit vertical movement of said arms and said engagement between the arms 33 and the guide means 53 serve to transmit rotational movement of the band 35 to the stick 55, since said guide means are fixed with said stick it.

To prevent leakage of liquid from the auxiliary chamber 56 upward into the barrel H], a sealing washer 59 is secured to the plug lG, said washer being adapted to rotate with the arms 38 which pass therethrough. It is understood that more than one washer may be employed to effect the sealing condition if warranted.

In the on position as shown particularly in Fig. 3, it will be observed that when the button 2'! is not depressed no liquid will flow to the stick [5. This affords a condition to utilize the stick [5 as a dry instrument to massage the moistened cuticle, although it is preferable to shut off the fiow of liquid to the stick by means of rotating the stick to a position, as for instance, that shown in Fig. 2, 4 or 9.

A cover or cap Ha is preferably provided for the working tool end of the device.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a desirable and useful instrument has been provided in several forms of embodiment.

While the preceding description is quite detailed, it does not exhaust the possible manners of practising the invention as claimed. Therefore, the prior art rather than the instant disclosure shown forms the basis of interpretation of the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A cuticle remover comprising a housing, a flexible container for liquid within said housing, a rotatable working tool having a substantially rigid tip constructed for massaging the cuticle, said tool having a passageway substantially therethrough and therein, positive means. for limiting the rotation of said tool toselectively adjust said tool to its feeding and inoperative positions, communicable means between said container and said passageway, said communicable means including hollowsin said housing and said tool in positions for registry upon relative rotation of the housing and tool to its feeding position, and means for actuating said container to produce an initial flow of liquid to said hollow in said housing, said communicable means and said actuating means relatively cooperating with each other to produce a regulated drop discharge through said passageway.

2. A cuticle remover comprising a housing having a liquid receptacle therein, a rotatable working tool having a substantially rigid tip constructed for massaging the cuticle, said tool having a passageway substantially therethrough and therein, means for limiting the rotation of said tool to selectively adjust said tool to its feeding and inoperative positions, communicable means between said receptacle and said passageway, said communicable means including recesses in said housing and said tool in positions for registry upon relative rotation of the housing and tool to its feeding position, and means for producing an initial flow of liquid to said recess in said housing, said communicable means and said producing means relatively cooperating with each other to provide a regulated drop discharge through said passageway.

3. A cuticle remover comprising a housing having a liquid receptacle therein, a working tool having a passageway substantially therethrough and having a notch communicating with said passageway, said tool having a tip formed for massaging the cuticle, said housing having a recess in position for communication between said receptacle and said notch upon relative rotation of the tool and housing to an operative position, and means to cause liquid to flow from the receptacle to said recess, notch and passageway, respectively. I

4. A cuticle remover comprising a housing having a liquid receptacle therein, a massaging tool having a passageway substantially therethrough and having a notch provided with a lower face within which the end of the passageway is disposed, said housing having a recess in position for communication with the notch upon rotation of the tool to an operative position relative to the housing, said recess having communication with the liquid receptacle, and means for causing liquid to flow from the receptacle to said recess, notch, and passageway.

5. A cuticle remover comprising a housing having a liquid receptacle therein, a working tool having a passageway substantially therethrough and having a notch communicating with said passageway, said tool having a tip formed. for massaging the cuticle, said housing having a recess in position for communication between said receptacle and said notch upon relative rotation of the tool and housing to an operative position, means to cause liquid to flow from the receptacle to said recess, notch and passageway, respectively, and means for rotating said working tool to operative and inoperative positions.

6. A cuticle remover comprising a housing having a liquid receptacle therein, a working tool having a passageway substantially therethrough and having a notch communicating with said passageway, said tool having a tip formed for massaging the cuticle, said housing having a recess in position for communication between said receptacle and said notch upon relative rotation of the tool and housing to an operative position, means to cause liquid to flow from the receptacle tosaid recess, notch and passageway, respectively, and means for rotating said working tool to operative and inoperative positions, the last-mentioned means extending into the housing and being operable from externally thereof.

FREDERICK GRODKA. 

